For my Malcolm Reynolds
by yesimadramaqueen
Summary: Ten fluffy fluffy drabbles about Mal and River.
1. Chapter 1

_**The Claw**_

"Step right up folks! Step right up!" one of the many acts around the skyplex called.

The skyplex was a buzz, like it always was. River liked it. The liveliness. There were so many thoughts whizzing around, people from all over the 'verse gathered in one place. Pretty lights, sounds, smells. So many pretty things…

Mal was with her that day. Simon was off with Kaylee, Zoe and Jayne off to get supplies and their post, and he was with her. He didn't mind it. He actually enjoyed watching her float from place to place. She would run her hand along the various goods that interested her. He could tell because she'd pause for just a second with that look of wonder in her eyes.

_-DiinngggDiinngggdiiiinnngggg-_

The chimes clanged under her feathery touch as she glided by, stopping to twirl to the melody. She felt his eyes on her, so she twirled again and faced him with a smile.

Whenever the girl smiled he had the urge to smile back and ninety-nine percent of the time he couldn't help himself and he would. This was one of those times.

Her smile didn't fade as she continued the exploration of the different commodities and vendors around.

He readjusted the boxes under his arm and followed her around a bit more. She stopped at a machine and leaned her head to one side, gazing in through the glass.

It was a simple tall box, half made of glass and half made of plastic. She peered in, gazing at the stuffed animals inside. A metal claw dangled above them and the controller was on the outside. It cost a few bits, but she didn't have any money. She didn't feel Mal move to stand beside her.

"One of the stuffed animals catch your eye, little albatross?"

"No…" she replied although one in particular stood out to them both.

She lingered for another moment and then gravitated towards an ice planet vendor. He hesitated, fighting an inner battle. The soft side of him won and he tried for the stuffed animal but without success. He sighed and caught up to her further down the narrow strip of sellers.

They caught up with Simon and Kaylee who whisked River off while Mal sought out Jayne and Zoe.

Then they got back on the ship and left for their next job. Mal was stocking the cupboards when he felt her more than heard her enter the room.

"Hard game. Probability and physics can easily be calculated for the win."

"What game are you talkin' 'bout?" he asked with his back to her. When no response came, he turned around.

She was gone, but she left something for him on the table. A stuffed white and gray bird with a yellow tipped beak. It had a note under it. "_An albatross from your albatross_" he just smiled and picked it up. If Jayne saw him with that, he'd think that he went soft. And that night as he set it on his desk, he conjured that he had.


	2. Chapter 2

_**The Pillow**_

It had been a bad day. They were in the middle of nowhere on some dust-ball of a planet that he hoped he'd soon forget. It was the kind of dust that gets in every little crevice and hangs in your throat, but the more you cough the more gets sucked in.

"Highly unlikely given the ratios," her voice called from behind him.

"In my thoughts again?" he asked.

"Sorry."

"Weren't you s'pposed to stay on the ship?"

"Simon didn't notice that I left."

"That don't make it right, little one."

"Stir-crazy, Captain."

He chuckled dryly only to cough a bit more. The horses were kicking up a lot of dust as they trotted by.

"I reckon you might go a bit insane bein' locked away all the time."

"Can't be more insane than I already am," there was humor in her voice and it almost sounded like a song. Probably was, knowing her. "It is."

She started repeating dance steps she knew by heart to the music in her head. The cargo was being moved back and the only thing left to do was to hop in the mule and go home. Which brought up a thought…

"How'd you get here anyhow?"

"Walked."

"Walked? It's ten miles!"

"I danced here."

"You must be a mite tired then."

"I am."

"Let's go home, darlin'."

She followed him to the mule and climbed in the back with him while Jayne and Zoe were in the front. He felt her lean on him a bit, probably exhausted from her implausible walk to their position. But she was a dancer with machine training. Anything was possible with her.

"True, Captain."

She draped across his lap, and curled into a little ball.

"Readin' me a-"

"Sh! Pillows don't talk."

"But I'm not your-"

"Sh! River is tired."

He chuckled again softly. "I s'ppose you would be."

"You're a bad pillow. Always talking and _moving_! Be still!"

"Sorry, sweetheart. I'll try."

"Thank you."

He just smiled. _Maybehaps it wasn't a bad day after all…_

"Maybe not, Pillow…" she said quietly. "But you didn't dance ten miles."

"No I didn't."

"Speaking again Captain," she reminded him playfully. _Sorry…_ "Apology accepted."


	3. Chapter 3

_**The Headache**_

He was in the kitchen cleaning his gun when River first floated in.

"Hey there little one."

She barely nodded in response. He looked at her carefully. She was looking a mite pale, even for her which was saying something. She was swaying a bit too like she was about to fall over.

"What's wrong?"

"Headache, told Simon. Couldn't find anything, so he took blood to see if it's my medicine…took too much…"

She swayed a bit more and she quickly grabbed a hold of the counter before she could fall over.

"Maybehaps you need to sit down."

"I concur…"

He gently took her arm and walked her over to the couch. She plopped down onto it, but pulled him with her. He was going to argue, captainy things to do, but she settled against his shoulder and clung to his arm.

"This is a captainy thing, Captain."

"Oh? Why's that?" he smirked.

"Don't make faces."

"I wasn't!"

"Don't lie to a reader. Pilot can't fly with a headache. Have to keep your crew."

"That I do."

She leaned her forehead against the outside of his shoulder and let the pattern of his breathing numb the throbbing pain in between her eyes. They stayed like that for awhile in silence before he got called away.

"Cap'in, I gotta show you somethin' in the engine room!" Kaylee called.

River sat up and away from him while he stood.

"Are you gonna be okay?" he asked.

"Yes."

She pulled him into a hug. At first it caught him off guard, but then he carefully hugged back like she might break if he squeezed too hard.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome."

He flashed a quick smile and then walked off towards the engine room. She smiled. Somehow her headache had magically disappeared…


	4. Chapter 4

_**The Movie**_

"Then you won't mind if I come along," Simon huffed.

"I do mind!" River snapped.

"Ah come on Doc, let the girl live a little…" Mal intervened.

"But you're proving my point, Captain. You said this wasn't a date."

"It isn't!" Mal and River said in unison.

"Then why I can't I come along?"

"I want my space!" River argued.

"Right…" Simon said skeptically.

"Look, this ain't a date. I haven't been to a movie since before my first tour-"

"And I haven't since you took me when I was twelve," River offered.

"So we're just two movie deprived folks goin' to see one together."

"Movie? Sounds like fun," Zoe said as she entered the cargo bay. "I'll go."

Mal eyed her carefully. River did the same. It was strange that the two of them suddenly wanted to tag along.

"What, I'm not invited?" Zoe asked.

"We were gonna go alone-" Mal started.

"So it's a date?" Zoe interrupted.

"No!" River and Mal shouted together.

"Then you won't mind. Let's go 'fore we miss the movie. What are we seein' anyhow?"

Mal rolled his eyes and River shook her head. They decided to let them go and quickly regretted it after Simon and Zoe sat right in front of them. It wasn't a date, but some time alone would have been nice.

After the movie ended, River grabbed Mal by the wrist and whispered, "Let's lose them."

He just smiled and replied, "Good idea, darlin'."

They darted out of the theater and across the street to a bookstore to hide out on the top level. It was funny how Simon was there like River's chaperone and Zoe was there as Mal's. Hey, he just figured that out.

"I knew. Worried it was a date. He thinks you'd be ungentlemanly and she thinks I might be promiscuous…" she laughed.

"Ungentlemanly and promiscuous huh? Well if this were a date sounds like we'd be the perfect match."

She laughed just as Simon and Zoe arrived.

"There you are," Simon said, slightly panting.

"The privacy was nice while it lasted," River sighed as she glided past the two meddling chaperones. Simon followed her while Zoe stayed back with Mal.

"Did you kiss her, Sir?"

"No! It's not a ruttin' date!"

"Right……so she kissed you?"

He groaned and caught up to River while Zoe raised her eyebrows with a sigh. _Not a date…__**right**__…and we won the gorram war…_


	5. Chapter 5

_**The Treat**_

"Would you look at that," Mal smiled as he stopped in the street to look at the tiny shop.

River stopped beside him and looked at it as well. The sign said, _"Treats. Ice Planets. Frozen Milk." _

"I haven't had frozen milk since Shadow," he commented as his taste buds danced at the memory.

"Frozen milk?" she asked.

"Yeah. It's milk, but chilled with sugar and sometimes other stuff."

"Never had it."

"Never had it?" he said it like it was the most blasphemous thing he had ever heard.

"No."

"I…really?"

"Yes."

"Gorram. You haven't lived 'till you've had it. It's the best thing in the 'verse! That's it, we're goin'…" he decided.

They went into the shop and ordered a frozen milk. She looked at the glass curiously.

"Not solid, not liquid…" she said while running the numbers through her mind to figure out exactly what kind of matter it was.

"Stop computin' and just try it."

He always knew when she was crunching the numbers. She smiled a bit sheepishly and then tried it.

"Well?" he asked.

"Wo de ma…"

"I told you it was the best thing in the 'verse."

She nodded and took another few sips.

"Hey! Leave some for me!"

"Better hurry, Captain…might be gone soon…"

He reached across the table to take a sip, but she pulled it away. He tried again and again. "The captain is orderin' you to hand over the goods, little albatross."

She frowned and pushed it towards him. He smiled victoriously. She held her hand out, expecting him to push the glass back towards her. He shook is head no.

"Frozen milk neglected. Not fair to hog it."

"Not gonna sway me, darlin'."

"Please?" she asked sweetly. He shook his head no. She got another straw and leaned across the table. She put it into the glass and started drinking.

"Cheater," he said while his straw was still in his mouth.

"Your fault. Only bought one."

"You've got a point there…"

They left after finishing what little remained in the glass before heading back towards the ship.

"Thank you," she smiled.

"Ah it was my treat, little one."


	6. Chapter 6

_**The Race**_

"I didn't know that you rode," Mal commented as River climbed onto a pretty tan and black horse.

"I do…probably better than you."

"Is that a challenge, darlin'?"

"Maybe it is," she smirked as she patted the mare on the neck.

"I've been ridin' a lot longer than you have…"

"Declining?"

"Well if you wanna lose, I guess I can't stop you," he grinned as he got onto a horse.

"A race to that," River declared as she pointed towards a red barn in the distance.

"Okay…no cheatin' now. This has to be a fair race."

She laughed. "It won't be."

"No it won't," he agreed.

"Kaylee, count to three! We're racing!" River shouted. Kaylee turned around.

"Everyone! River 'n the cap'in are racin'!" she cried. Everyone gathered around. They had to see this.

"Anytime now…" River chimed.

"Right…one…two…THREE!"

They sped off for the barn. He was in the lead for quite some time. He was convinced he had it, but then she showed up out of nowhere with a smile and tapped the barn with her hand before he could get to it. They heard clapping in the distance.

She trotted over to Mal's horse with her own and smiled at him, lightly patting him on the arm.

"Better luck next time."

"Wanna see who can get back to them first?"

"Yes I-"

He had already started back. She shook her head and easily caught up, but then decided to let him win. She was having too much fun.

"Best two out of three?" she asked hopefully.

"One more…" he sighed with the ghost of a smile creeping onto his face.

"Unless you lose?"

"Damn straight."

And they took off again for yet another race. They raced five more times before they ran out of daylight and had to stop.

"What was the final score?" Kaylee asked.

"Let's not think on numbers," Mal sighed.

"Five to two…" River announced with a smirk.

"You just got lucky this time," he grumbled.

"This time?"

"Hell yes! There's gonna be a rematch one of these days."

"I'll hold you to that, Captain."

"See that you do, little one. I have a reputation to keep."

She smiled as he winked and walked off to the kitchen.


	7. Chapter 7

_**The Tutor**_

_Gorram. Damnit. Go se. Ah hell! _He cursed as he looked over the ship documents. Somewhere his math had on awry because he knew the figure he reached was definitely _**not**_ the amount of money they had.

It could be confusing because they had to keep at least two sets of documents at all times. The fake ones to pass inspection and avoid suspicion around Feds and the real ones that had all of their money calculated to the very last cent.

So, when all of the numbers, even the fake ones, got extremely messed up he didn't know what to do. He wasn't stupid, but he wasn't the brightest guy in the 'verse either. He poured over his work trying to find the mistake. Sometimes he hated being the captain.

Oh he was thinking it. Debating with himself. He knew that she might hear him, but he was too angry to think about turning the volume down in his head. And he was right. She heard him and showed up like the little genius slip of a girl that she was looking all sorts of cute as she sank in the chair beside him.

Without a word, River took the papers from him and scanned them. She reached across the table, just barely brushing her hand with his, to retrieve the pen. She scribbled something down and then looked up at him pointing to a place on the paper.

"There."

"What 'bout there?" he asked.

"That's where you went wrong. Decimal places got mixed up. You didn't move it correctly. A simple mistake. You're too tired to be working."

She pushed the papers back to him with the correct amounts all written down and circled in perfect girly handwriting.

"How'd you figure them all out so quick?"

"I'm gifted, Captain. Just remember to forget about the decimal places until the end if you're multiplying. Then add up how many there were total."

It felt weird to be tutored by someone that he was three times older than. She smirked and got up.

"Two times. And not tutored, helped. If you need help, don't hesitate to ask. Don't make me show up _looking all sorts of cute_ and take the initiative."

_She heard that? _He thought while a flush covered his cheeks.

"You think loudly when you're frustrated."

"Well I'm not good at math."

"You understand it, just make little mistakes. Like here," she pointed to another spot on the paper. He didn't see his mistake. "You subtracted instead of added."

"Oh…" he said sheepishly. She patted him on the shoulder with a reassuring smile.

"If you want me to help with the math part of the paperwork-"

"Please?"

She sat back down and they went over the paperwork together.

"Can you…maybe…help again…if you uh…want to…?" he asked a bit awkwardly. He never was one to ask for help.

"Sure."

They exchanged smiles before getting back to work.


	8. Chapter 8

_**The Hat**_

Mal was standing in the kitchen getting a mug of Kaylee's engine wine when they came home. Kaylee, River, and Simon went into town to get some supplies and just to shop around. River had on a cowboy hat with her hair in two braids, mimicking all of the hicks in town.

"Cap'in! Don't River look gorrm shiny?" Kaylee asked.

"Yeah. I like that hat…" he got an evil idea. There were a few fun people to tease, but River was the most fun of them all. She teased him right back, so it was a real challenge. Time for the fun to begin. "Mind if I try it on?"

She knew it was a challenge and she never backed down. "Yes I mind."

"Oh come on," he replied walking around so he was standing in front of her. "I think I'll look good in it."

"You think that you look good in everything."

Kaylee giggled and River smiled slyly. He wasn't about to give up. "Can I please try it on?"

"No."

"Don't make me pull the captain card."

"No."

She saw it coming before he even tried to swipe the hat right off of her head. She bolted around the table and he figured he might as well pursue. He hadn't gotten any exercise all day. There they were running around the dinning table and around the dinning table all over a cowboy hat. Kaylee was watching with a smile while Simon observed, slightly confused why the captain was chasing his mei mei over a ruttin' hat.

Mal lunged for the hat, knocking them both over onto the couch. He got it triumphantly and put it on his head with a grin.

"How does it sit?" he asked.

"You have it on backwards," River whispered with a smile.

He turned it around. "Okay how about now?"

"You look good. Can I have it back now?"

"No."

She knew that he was going to get up and run, so she quickly moved so she was lying in his lap. He was trapped on the couch. She held out her hand.

"Hat or you don't move."

"But I look so good!"

She gave him a look and folded her arms. "I'm not moving."

"Well I have nowhere to be."

She hit him lightly. "Hat."

"No."

She started to tickle him until he plopped the hat down over her face. "There, are you happy now?" he asked. She tilted the hat so she could look up at him.

"Yes. Thank you."

Kaylee had been watching the scene along with Simon. "You two should go out," she stated before bouncing off to the engine room humming. River looked up at him with the question in her eyes.

"I don't know where she got that either, darlin'…" Mal shrugged.


	9. Chapter 9

_**The Cortex**_

It all started with a conversation about one of the old Earth-that-was movies. She had never seen it, it was one of his favorites, he thought she'd like it, so he said, "Why don't you watch it with me sometime?"

She thought for a moment and replied, "Alright."

There they were in his bunk, lights out, cortex on, all alone. There had to have been three or four different places she could have sat. Desk chair, floor, other side of the bed, the list goes on. Instead, she sat on his bed with him side by side, hip to hip, with a box of protein pizza substitute that tasted more like garbage, across their laps watching the movie.

"He died?" she asked in surprise.

"No, he's fakin' it."

"Do they know?"

"Nope."

"What's the point of that?"

"So he can keep his family safe."

She nodded. Their feet accidentally collided and before they knew it they were in an all out footsy war while watching the movie.

"This part's really great, wait for it…he turns the lights on…and look," he pointed to the screen. "He's _right_ behind him!"

"Are you going to spoil the entire movie for me?"

"Well you're askin' questions too!"

She smirked and then got cold, so she grabbed a blanket after they finished the pizza and covered them both up. It was quite the interesting scenario. Their legs were intertwined from the footsy war, he discovered that her feet were a mite ticklish so he kept running his foot down hers, and she was practically lying across him as the movie continued. The cortex was amazing. Old movies in an instant.

"Watch this…wait for him to look at the camera…ain't that creepy?"

"I think it's funny."

"Funny? What? That scared me half to death when I first saw it!"

She laughed.

"Hey!"

The film ended and she started walking towards the ladder.

"Where are you goin'?"

"I have to pilot."

"Right."

She smiled at him and then left his bunk only to run into Simon.

"I've been looking everywhere! What were you doing in the captain's bunk?"

Mal emerged after she did. "Hey Doc."

"What were you two doing down there?" Simon asked, genuinely afraid of the answer.

"Watchin' the cortex," he explained. Mal flashed a quick smile at River before walking towards the kitchen.

"Was there anything going on between you two?" Simon asked like a nosey mother.

She rolled her eyes and started walking towards the bridge.

"Is that a yes?" he called after her. She ignored him. She'd let his imagination run…


	10. Chapter 10

_**The Dance**_

There was nothing like a town party to get the juices and wine flowing. Normally they were outside, but this town was a bit ritzier. They were in a huge building that was basically a rectangle. It was decorated with banners and lanterns. Tables were on one side with food and drinks and chairs while the other was cleared for dancing.

He had a cup of rice wine in one hand and chopsticks in the other with a plate of weird local foods in front of him. Simon and Kaylee were mingling, Zoe was with the ship, and Jayne was in line hitting on all of the women around him without succeeding. That left River. She had been sitting beside him at the table eating, but then she disappeared. He had a good idea of where she went.

There she was, alone on the dance floor, dancing her heart out to some crazy song with freaky Chinese instruments in it. He had to admire that she'd get up there and dance alone like that.

He looked around. No one to talk to. No good food left to eat. He swallowed the last bit of his wine and he got up. _Might as well_, he figured-- he actually wanted to though he wouldn't admit it. She was still dancing went he got to her.

"Hey," he smiled.

She didn't stop, but she did smile back. "Hello, Captain."

"Dance?" he inquired while extending his hand as the song changed. It was something slow and weird.

He had no idea how to dance yet there he was asking a dancer for a dance. Oh yeah, he was gonna make a fool of himself. She shook her head no. He thought that it was a no to the dance.

"You won't make a fool."

She stopped dancing and took his hand in hers. He cautiously and a bit awkwardly put his hand on her waist. She put her other hand on his shoulder.

He started to move. Nothing formal really. Just steps in a slow circle. He kept waiting for her to say something or instruct him somehow, but he was leading and she followed. After a slow twirl and a few more steps the song ended, but the dancing didn't.

The song was fast and crazy, so she just did her own thing leaving him standing there a bit out of place. She grabbed his wrist and made him join her in another dance. They were up there making complete idiots of themselves, but laughing the entire time.

"Thanks for the dance," he panted after their third dance ended.

"Thank you."

She hugged him, which she often did nowadays, and then planted a quick kiss on his cheek before going back to dancing only this time she pulled Simon onto the dance floor. Mal smiled to himself. _There's nothin' like a good town party…_

_**The end**_

_For Patrick "Pillow" Roberge, my very own Malcolm Reynolds (Seriously he wears the same gorram brown corduroy jacket __everyday__!) All of these drabbles were based off of my __**real life**__ encounters with him (Really!). Thank you for the inspiration Pillow, although you'll never read this (He isn't a Firefly fan *gasps*) Much love! _


End file.
